DAYLC Dubuque Area Youth Leadership Council

06/02/2026

Jackson was chosen as the top male candidate in the 2025 DAYLC class and attended the national conference, Town Meeting on Tomorrow. We’re so very proud of his accomplishments. Congratulations Jackson! We wish you much success as you attend the U.S. Naval Academy next fall. 👏🏻

While Jackson Lampe was an underclassman at Wahlert Catholic High School, he set his eyes on joining the military. Now, Iowa's leaders have nominated him to nearly every service academy. Read more: https://www.kcrg.com/2026/05/26/dubuque-graduate-honor-fallen-iowa-soldiers-us-naval-academy/

05/15/2026

Our DAYLC Character and Leadership Day at the University of Dubuque was a day full of learning, leadership, and connection!

Last month, DAYLC Youth Leaders spent the day participating in lectures, interactive activities, and meaningful discussions led by UD faculty and students. Thank you to everyone who helped make the day engaging, impactful, and full of growth and connection!

04/16/2026

03/28/2026

What a great panel! We left feeling inspired and excited to put what we learned into action. Thank you to our panelists for sharing their time and perspectives, and to everyone who helped make the event happen!

03/18/2026

Did we save the best for last? We will find out Friday, March 20 at the 2026 DAYLC Panel Discussion!

Our fourth and final panelist will be Todd Klapatauskas is a Personal Injury Attorney at Reynolds & Kenline.

Todd is one of the more experienced trial lawyers in eastern Iowa and a premier personal injury and criminal defense trial attorney in the Tri-state area. Licensed in Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois, he has fought for his clients in over 100 jury trials, making him one of the most experienced trial lawyers in Dubuque. He has committed his practice to helping those who have been injured, harmed, and wrongfully accused. Todd is a graduate of Loras College, where he received his bachelor’s degree in history before pursuing his Juris Doctorate at Creighton University. He is also a graduate of Trial Lawyers College and has been practicing with Reynolds & Kenline since 1998. Todd is married to Kathleen, and they are proud of their four children. When not at the office, he is an active member of St. Anthony’s Parish in Dubuque. His free time is spent with his family on bike rides, hikes, and other activities.

Todd, we are excited to have you along with our other panelists, joins Alex Lee, Brad Cavanagh, and Meredith Willman meet our 2026 DAYLC Youth Leaders and share your career and life

03/18/2026

Next up... Meredith Willman is one of our panelists for the DAYLC Panel Discussion coming this Friday! Meredith is the Principal, St. Columbkille Elementary for Holy Family Catholic Schools (Official). Here's a lil more about Meredith:

Meredith Willman was born and raised in Saint Paul, Minnesota, as the oldest of four children. After attending Visitation, an all-girls high school, she continued her education at Loras College ('12) with a major of elementary education and instructional strategies with a minor in Spanish and then earned her Masters in educational leadership through Creighton University. With over 14 years of teaching experience she has been in 3rd grade, 2nd grade, and behavior support classrooms prior to serving as the principal of St. Columbkille Elementary School in Dubuque for the past three years. As a mom of five and wife of Tyler Willman (Loras '11), life is never boring! She enjoys golfing, cheering on the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame Football, and traveling the world!

Meredith, we look forward to hearing more about your journey! She is joining Alex Lee and Brad Cavanagh. Check back to find out who our fourth and final panelist will be!

03/18/2026

We introduced our first panelist, Alex Lee from The Spot for the 2026 DAYLC Panel Discussion on Friday, March 20. Our next panelist is... Brad Cavanagh, Mayor of the City of Dubuque Government.

Brad Cavanagh was first elected as Mayor in November 2021 and was reelected in November 2025.Previously, he served on the Dubuque City Council beginning in 2019, representing the city’s FourthvWard. He is a small business owner and social worker with over 20 years of practice experience. Hey holds a bachelor’s degree in social work from the University of Iowa and a master’s degree in social work from Saint Louis University. From 2010-2021, Brad taught at Loras College in Dubuque as an associate professor of social work and currently owns and operates a fair trade store in downtown Dubuque. Brad and his wife, Jennifer, have two sons.

Brad is a Dubuque native and has served his hometown in several ways since returning to Dubuque in 2008. As Mayor, Brad serves on the boards of Dubuque Initiatives, the Dubuque Racing Association, the Greater Dubuque Development Corporation, Travel Dubuque, the Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, DBQ Air, and chairs the Dubuque Metropolitan AreaTransportation Study. Brad is also serving as the 2025-2026 Immediate Past President of the Iowa League of Cities and is an active member of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Council Appointments to Boards & Committees Conference Board, Travel Dubuque Convention & Visitors Bureau - TravelDubuque - Board of Directors, Dubuque Initiatives, Dubuque Metropolitan Area Transportation System Policy Committee. Dubuque Racing Association-Board of Directors, Greater Dubuque Development Corp. Board of Directors, Greater Dubuque Development Corp. Executive Committee.

Brad, we look forward to seeing you on Friday!

03/17/2026

We are looking forward to the 2026 DAYLC Panel Discussion on Friday, March 20 at Loras College! Once again, we are welcoming amazing panelists, and we're excited to get to know them better. We will be introducing our panelists over the next couple days. First up.... Alex Lee, owner and entrepreneur of The Spot in Dubuque.

Alex earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Dubuque in 2020, followed by his MBA in 2021. While working both serving jobs and a full-time position, he continued to pursue his entrepreneurial goals.

In May 2022, Alex and his wife took over a nutrition club, where they serve healthy, alternative drinks and educate the community on health, wellness, and becoming the best version of oneself. Beyond business, Alex is deeply involved in the Dubuque community. He is an active member of 10 organizations and volunteers his time to support local initiatives, foster community growth, and spread awareness.

Alex, we look forward to learning more about you!